Zhaoqiang Zhang1, Lei Wang2, Xiao Sun2, Li Zhang3, Lianyuan Lu2. 1. Department of Physiology, Basic Medical College of Taishan Medical University, Taian, China. 2. Department of Nephrology, Taian Central Hospital, Taian, China. 3. Department of Ultrasound, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taian, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested a role for interleukin-4 (IL4) and its receptor (IL4R) gene in susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS), but the results remain controversial and under-powered. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the contradictory results, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the possible association between polymorphisms of the IL4 rs2243250 (C/T), variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in intron-3 (I3(709)VNTR), IL4R rs1801275 (T/C) and MS in Caucasian populations. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted to identify all case-control or cohort design studies. The fixed or random effect pooled measure was selected based on the homogeneity test among studies that was evaluated with I(2). Publication bias was estimated using the Begg's and Egger's test. RESULTS: A total of ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. The crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to evaluate the association. Overall, after excluding articles deviating from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in controls and sensitive analysis, the meta-analysis showed a significant association between polymorphism of IL4 rs2243250 and MS susceptibility in allele model (OR=1.209, 95% CI=1.022-1.429, P=0.026) and dominant model (OR =1.225, 95% CI=1.013-1.480, P=0.036). However, no significant association was found between polymorphisms of IL4 I3(709)*VNTR, IL4R rs1801275 and MS susceptibility, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis indicates that the T allele, CT and TT genotype of polymorphism of IL4 rs2243250 (C/T) may reduce the risk of MS in Caucasian populations, while polymorphisms of IL4 I3(709)*VNTR and IL4R rs1801275 may not associated with risk of MS in Caucasian populations.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested a role for interleukin-4 (IL4) and its receptor (IL4R) gene in susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS), but the results remain controversial and under-powered. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the contradictory results, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the possible association between polymorphisms of the IL4rs2243250 (C/T), variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in intron-3 (I3(709)VNTR), IL4Rrs1801275 (T/C) and MS in Caucasian populations. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted to identify all case-control or cohort design studies. The fixed or random effect pooled measure was selected based on the homogeneity test among studies that was evaluated with I(2). Publication bias was estimated using the Begg's and Egger's test. RESULTS: A total of ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. The crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to evaluate the association. Overall, after excluding articles deviating from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in controls and sensitive analysis, the meta-analysis showed a significant association between polymorphism of IL4rs2243250 and MS susceptibility in allele model (OR=1.209, 95% CI=1.022-1.429, P=0.026) and dominant model (OR =1.225, 95% CI=1.013-1.480, P=0.036). However, no significant association was found between polymorphisms of IL4 I3(709)*VNTR, IL4Rrs1801275 and MS susceptibility, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis indicates that the T allele, CT and TT genotype of polymorphism of IL4rs2243250 (C/T) may reduce the risk of MS in Caucasian populations, while polymorphisms of IL4 I3(709)*VNTR and IL4Rrs1801275 may not associated with risk of MS in Caucasian populations.